Do We Believe the Bible ... or OURSELVES?

If we do not believe EVERYTHING in the Bible and ALL our Faith teaches ... We have no faith and don't believe in anything BUT OURSELVES ~ regardless of what we THINK and say to others!

And that puts us in a very sad state of affairs my friends! In many cases, it makes life not only empty, but also meaningless. Our hearts/souls (although we sometimes search whole lifetimes for "happiness" -which is temporary at best-) are made for JOY & LOVE which, from God, fills us to overflowing and can't be shaken or taken no matter what circumstances come our way.  How else could the martyrs have ended their lives counting it all good with peace and joy regardless of the horrors they were forced to endure for His Name Sake, walking calmly to their deaths singing and praising Jesus?? 

Today's Gospel reading makes me shudder when I think of those that have been brought into the Fullness of Faith through Catholicism (either at birth or adult conversion) and have left or are "Catholic" in name only. The Fullness of Faith gives us every Sacrament and opens the way to all graces if we but act on what's available to us through Holy Mother Church. We certainly have been given MUCH . Which is why MUCH will be EXPECTED of us!

Who of us says "I'm going on vacation .. just send me ANYWHERE; what ever happens, happens." No. We take time to select a destination and learn of the culture perhaps and buy clothing appropriate to the locale ... we plan, anticipate, speak of it to OTHERS and take it seriously. We do this and much more for a (generally) 2 week block of time, yet do NOTHING, many of us, for our ETERNITY. Instead we say, oh well, I'm a good person .. God will take me into heaven (Those Christians that even still BELIEVE there IS a heaven that is!). 

Yet, God says nothing imperfect will enter into heaven. Do we all have the audacity to actually believe that we are PERFECT? God is Love, yes ... but His Love demands TRUTH & JUSTICE, otherwise why did Jesus have to suffer such cruelty for our sakes and give His earthly Life to reconcile us to the Father?

Not enough Churches talk about the reality of SIN, HELL and SATAN these days; so folks kinda get the idea that either they've gone away somewhere or worse yet, never existed to begin with. Well nothing could be further from the truth. Just look around the world today and you can easily see the ole boy's hand in many things leading folks away from God as he invents devious ways to cause hate, confusion, discontent and malice among us all, just to keep himself entertained as he furthers his purpose to steal souls and suck them into perdition. I guess he didn't read the end of THE BOOK where again, prophecy WILL BE FULFILLED and Jesus will reign eternal and SUPREME.

The devil's pride is such that he cannot help himself in trying to gain as many as he can to snatch them away from God. He knows he can't hurt God, so the next best thing is to hurt His children and abduct them to hell. Now is the time when we MUST draw nearer to the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts .. when we must pray for ALL SOULS alive and dead. We ARE *one* in the Body of Christ by virtue of our Baptism .. ALL CHRISTIANS!!

Pray that our brothers and sisters who stand apart from Catholicism are given the GIFT (and it IS a Gift) of Faith and brought into the Fullness of Faith in Christ Jesus! Pray too that those lost lambs and sheep will find their way back home by the light of the Holy Spirit, through His Counsel and Love to lead them back to the One, True, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that Jesus Himself founded with 12 Handpicked men which He told to "teach all nations, in season and out of season". 

That being said ... please consider with a prayerful heart, today's Gospel: 

Luke 12: 39 - 48
39     But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.
40     You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour."
41     Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?"
42     And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?
43     Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing.
44     Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
45     But if that servant says to himself, `My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
46     the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful.
47     And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating.
48     But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.